As with most everything in American society, monopolistic means have long dictated the music industry with a handful of labels that control the scene. For those not into mainstream music or the mongers that control the airwaves, Fitehouse may be a band worth listening to.
The Baltimore-based band has not only refused to create music within the constraining parameters of a record label, but has helped pioneer innovative ways to distribute over the Internet.
Consisting of founders guitarist Josh Cohen and singer Gabe Gilligan, along with drummer Eduardo Cece§a and bassist Edward Plant, Fitehouse works to revolutionize the music industry through artful media tactics and campaigning techniques.
Fitehouse declared outright war on the Recording Industry Association of America, whose lawsuits proclaiming music file sharing an absolute no-no have resulted in the revision of Internet sites like Napster.
"More and more in today's economy everyone is so vehement about defending copyrights that you don't have that same possibility for innovation," said Cohen, a self-proclaimed minister of propaganda. "The result is that things become really stagnant."
Fitehouse's choice weapon in this particular war is the Bomb, otherwise known as open-source music, Cohen said.
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Open-source music does not inhibit the listener from file sharing or creatively changing the sounds. Rather, it invites listeners to build upon, collaborate and redistribute. As the innovators of this concept, Fitehouse solicits its fans - or nonfans if that be the case - to do the same, Cohen said.
In a press release, members of the band said "Fitehouse's Bomb campaign was undertaken to counter the stream of misinformation coming from the RIAA and to help return music to its rightful place in our cultural heritage."
The group states in the preamble to the Fitehouse General Public Music License, "By making music free for all its listeners and performers, the Fitehouse GPML can help re-orient songs from their current role as simple marketable commodities or entertainment products, and assist us to guarantee music's survival as a vibrant form of expression of the human condition."
Cohen said bands have been borrowing sounds and music for longer than many realize.
"The Rolling Stones made it a first by playing American blues music that wasn't really copyrighted or that had a copyright ownership that was somewhat of a vague notion," he said. "I think it's great that they helped to popularize blues and make it available for wider audiences. That's part of the process of collaboration. You know, what goes around, comes around."
Aside from creating "media blitzes" and propaganda stunts, Cohen also wrote a 13-page pamphlet titled "Common Musical Sense," in which he delves thoroughly into the problems of the music industry and plausible solutions for change.
As far as current projects, the band is working on its music and even more publicity and marketing tactics.
Cohen said Fitehouse has received over 20 positive articles in recognition of its efforts to fight the RIAA.
"We're gonna go back (to the mainstream media) and say 'Hey, look. A lot of people are paying attention. This is a little bigger than ourselves and this is something bands in general should be getting involved in.'"
Cohen and his bandmates are also working on a second, supplementary pamphlet that will "bring things up to speed as far as where music is and where it is going as far as creative options for the future."
Cohen said a sense of victory will be achieved when Fitehouse gains recognition from the mainstream media.
"They need to recognize that we've done it, and see that we've done it in an organic, grass-roots way," Cohen said.
For more information on Fitehouse or to download music, a copy of "Common Musical Sense" or The Fitehouse General Public Music License, visit the band's Web site at www.fitehouse.com.
